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A friend linked this to talk about how bad everything about it seemed just from the summary and the original title of the LN. I decided to read the first chapter to see how it is and ho boy I wasn't prepared for just how shitty this series is.

An important part of any series is the protagonist: They should be enjoyable, and in most cases they have positive traits readers can appreciate, like loyalty, honesty or even just being a reliable and kind person. This protagonist is not enjoyable or likable. His utter obsession with virginity and not having anything to do with "used ... goods" were almost funny in an 'otaku culture is so unpleasant' way but they stopped being even vaguely funny during the attempted rape scene mentioned in the summary; Not only does he have no intention of doing anything to help Ayame until his hand is forced, he even admits in his internal dialogue he can't feel any sympathy for her... because she looks like she gets around. Not long after, it's made clear he thinks of women who (he thinks) aren't virgins as defective and feels no shame or discomfort with viewing them like that. I found it impossible to enjoy such an unlikable protagonist when the manga lacks a narration that acknowledges and accepts he's the very stereotype of an otaku.

Of equal discomfort to me was how Ayame's romantic interest stems from believing Seiichi helped her out of genuine goodness. It's played up for comedy but I found nothing comedic about the very 'romance' the manga is built on being founded on a misunderstanding that turns deceptive.

The only real positive I found was the art. It remained consistent and of good quality, even if it's not particularly unique, and the anatomy in particular was well done throughout. I expect Mikumo will improve and develop a more distinct personal style as the manga continues, which is... one plus to the series, I suppose.

I decided to read Variante on a whim and it was an entertaining read. Nothing groundbreaking or particularly original, but it was certainly entertaining and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys a bloody horror manga that is driven by the characters.

The art is solid with a distinctive style that has aged well - Sugimoto makes each of the central characters look distinct and unique and does a stellar job drawing Aiko's arm, the Chimera and all the gore that comes along with them. I believe the art shines best when drawing the monstrous enemies and in the characters' expressions, all of which suit the ... situation and the characters' own personalities.

Speaking of the characters, Aiko is very well written, reacting to circumstances exactly how you would expect a traumatized teenage girl to react. The rest of the main cast suffer from inconsistency on occasion but are otherwise solidly written and any minor characters just don't appear enough to have a real personality beyond their roles. The villains are pretty flat and have no depth beyond being assholes, while allies are either nudged to the side to focus on Sudou, Aiko and Kochigawa or appear too late in to get adequate screentime. In general, when attention is paid to the characters and their development, it's satisfying and believable.

The story is, as said above, nothing exceptional or unique. The story is a standard formula with very few twists put in place; If you're familiar with stories with this premise, you'll see everything coming from a mile away which does put a damper on enjoyment. The handful of more original plot threads put in place felt shoehorned in for drama, or because they realized they had no explanation for something.

Overall, it's a solid manga. I recommend it if you're a fan of series with similar premises and don't have a weak stomach.

If you're looking for a horror manga with nice art and gore, you might enjoy this manga. If you're looking for a horror manga with decently written characters along with nice art and gore, pass this one over. THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS AND MENTIONS OF RAPE/SEXUAL ASSAULT, so don't read the rest if you want to avoid those.

The premise isn't anything unique (and its certainly not fleshed out beyond 'avoid the killer giant insects') but it's enjoyable for what it is, and its evident at least some research went into the various species included which is nice. The art is nicely done and there's an ... impressive level of detail put into the insects.

Unfortunately, the actual writing isn't as good as the art. Characters are shoehorned into specific roles (the strict class president, the arrogant punk, the promiscuous alpha bitch, the wimpy idol and so on) and are never given any development beyond that and never actually learn from anything they go through. The stunning lack of character development makes it hard to care about them at all or be invested in their survival at all. The writer invokes 'anyone can die at any time' frequently, which makes it even harder to care about the cast - Why bother getting invested in flatly written characters when half of them will probably end up dead? - and even worse, it's usually the only vaguely likeable ones that die. The chick who was going to rape one of the other female characters when she was tied up and who is one of the closest things to a hate sink in the manga? Still alive. The idiot who insisted he was the leader only to be a selfish, useless waste? Still alive. The group that barricaded two others outside to die? As of writing, still alive.

This brings me to other major qualm with the writing: The use of rape and sexual assault for drama. In a manga about man eating insects, you'd think the drama would revolve around survival and the insects. Instead, in the span of 22 chapters there have been three onscreen cases of rape and attempted rape and one case of dubious consent along with the instances early on where larvae eating people read uncomfortably sexually, complete with focus on bare breasts.

All in all, I can't recommend Kyochuu Rettou to anyone. The art and research aren't worth bad writing and unappealing characters.